# US 2012/0068436 A1 · Travel Adjustment Mechanism for a Suspension System > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2012/0068436 A1 - Document ID: US20120068436A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/883,939 - Filed: 2010-09-16 - Published: 2012-03-22 - Earliest claimed: 2010-09-16 - Assignees: Sram, LLC - Inventors: Robert Powell; James Osbourne - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20120068436A1 ## CPC - B62K 25/08: for front wheel - F16B 7/10: Telescoping systems ({for vertically adjustable chairs A47C3/20; telescopic steering columns B62D1/18}; for scaffolding E04G25/04; {telescopic masts, poles or the like E04H12/182; telescopic door or window holders E05C17/30}; telescope props for mining E21D15/14 - E21D15/46; stands or trestles as supports for apparatus or articles placed thereon {F16M11/26}) - F16F 9/56: Means for adjusting the length of, or for locking, the spring or damper, e.g. at the end of the stroke {(F16F9/50 takes precedence; for telescopic gas springs or dampers F16F9/0245; vehicle suspension locking arrangements B60G17/005)} - B62K 2025/045: {Suspensions with ride-height adjustment} - B62K 2025/047: {with suspension locking means} - F16F 3/04: composed only of wound springs - B62K: CYCLES; CYCLE FRAMES; CYCLE STEERING DEVICES; RIDER-OPERATED TERMINAL CONTROLS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR CYCLES; CYCLE AXLE SUSPENSIONS; CYCLE SIDECARS, FORECARS, OR THE LIKE - F16B: DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING (couplings for transmitting rotation F16D) - F16F: SPRINGS; SHOCK-ABSORBERS; MEANS FOR DAMPING VIBRATION ## Abstract A suspension system for a handlebar-steered vehicle includes an upper tube, a lower tube reciprocally slidable relative to the upper tube. A positive spring assembly biases the upper and lower tubes away from each other. A piston assembly is attached to the lower tube. The suspension includes a travel adjustment mechanism including a locking mechanism and an actuator. The locking mechanism is connected to the positive spring assembly and selectively maintains a first portion of the positive spring assembly in a compressed state with the upper and lower tubes drawn toward each other. The actuator is operatively connected to the locking mechanism to releasably engage the locking mechanism to maintain the first portion of the positive spring assembly in the compressed state. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A suspension system for a handlebar-steered vehicle comprising: an upper tube; a lower tube reciprocally slidable relative to the upper tube; a positive spring assembly biasing the upper and lower tubes away from each other; a piston assembly attached to the lower tube, the piston assembly deflecting the positive spring assembly under loading; and a travel adjustment mechanism including: a locking mechanism connected to the positive spring assembly and selectively maintaining a first portion of the positive spring assembly in a compressed state with the upper and lower tubes drawn toward each other; and an actuator operatively connected to the locking mechanism to releasably engage the locking mechanism to maintain the first portion of the positive spring assembly in the compressed state. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The suspension system of claim 1 wherein the positive spring assembly includes first and second positive springs in series, the locking mechanism selectively maintaining the first positive spring in the compressed state, the second positive spring attached to the piston assembly. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The suspension system of claim 2 wherein the locking mechanism includes a displaceable sleeve engaged and displaced with the first and second positive springs to position the displaceable sleeve into a locked position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The suspension system of claim 3 wherein the locking mechanism further includes a connector attached to the upper tube and a locking element, the displaceable sleeve displaceable relative to the connector, the locking element releasably locking the displaceable sleeve and the connector to each other to maintain the first positive spring in the compressed state. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The suspension system of claim 4 wherein the locking element is radially biased by the actuator to engage a groove in one of the connector and the displaceable sleeve to lock the connector and the displaceable sleeve to each other with the upper and lower tubes drawn toward each other. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The suspension system of claim 5 wherein the actuator includes a magnet radially biasing the locking element to disengage the groove in one of the connector and the displaceable sleeve to unlock the connector and the displaceable sleeve from each other allowing the upper and lower tube to draw away from each other. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The suspension system of claim 6 wherein the first positive spring is one of a coil spring and a gas spring and the second positive spring is one of a coil spring and a gas spring. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The suspension system of claim 7 further including a negative spring biasing the upper and lower tubes toward each other. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The suspension system of claim 2 wherein the first positive spring is one of a coil spring and a gas spring and the second positive spring is one of a coil spring and a gas spring. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The suspension system of claim 1 wherein the positive spring assembly includes only a single positive coil spring, the locking mechanism selectively maintaining a first portion of the single positive coil spring in the compressed state with the upper and lower tubes drawn toward each other, an end of the single positive coil spring attached to the piston assembly. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The suspension system of claim 10 wherein the locking mechanism includes a displaceable sleeve engaged and displaced with the single positive coil spring to position the displaceable sleeve into a locked position. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The suspension system of claim 11 wherein the locking mechanism further includes a connector attached to the upper tube and a locking element, the displaceable sleeve displaceable relative to the connector, the locking element releasably locking the displaceable sleeve and the connector to each other to maintain the first portion of the single positive coil spring in the compressed state. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The suspension system of claim 12 wherein the locking element is radially biased by the actuator to engage a groove in one of connector and the displaceable sleeve to lock the connector and the displaceable sleeve to each other with the upper and lower tubes drawn toward each other. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The suspension system of claim 13 wherein the actuator includes a magnet radially biasing the locking element to disengage the groove in one of the connector and the displaceable sleeve to unlock the connector and the displaceable sleeve from each other allowing the upper and lower tubes to draw away from each other. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The suspension system of claim 14 further including a negative spring biasing the upper and lower tubes toward each other. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The suspension system of claim 1 wherein the travel adjustment mechanism selectively adjusts the suspension system between at least a first travel setting and a second travel setting; in the first travel setting, the positive spring assembly has a first preload; and in the second travel setting, the first portion of the positive spring assembly maintained in the compressed state has a second preload without increasing the preload in a second portion of the positive spring assembly. ### Claim 17 A suspension system for a handlebar-steered vehicle comprising: an upper tube; a lower tube reciprocally slidable relative to the upper tube; positive spring means for biasing the upper and lower tubes away from each other; a piston assembly attached to the lower tube, the piston assembly deflecting the positive spring means under loading; and travel adjustment means including: locking means connected to the positive spring assembly and selectively maintaining a first portion of the positive spring means in a compressed state with the upper and lower tubes drawn toward each other; and an actuator means operatively connected to the locking means to releasably engage the locking means to maintain the first portion of the positive spring means in the compressed state. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The suspension system of claim 17 wherein the positive spring means includes first and second positive springs in series, the locking means selectively maintaining the first positive spring in the compressed state, the second positive spring attached to the piston assembly. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The suspension system of claim 18 wherein the locking means includes a displaceable sleeve engaged and displaced with the first and second positive springs to position the displaceable sleeve into a locked position. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The suspension system of claim 19 wherein the locking means further includes a connector attached to the upper tube and a locking element, the displaceable sleeve displaceable relative to the connector, the locking element releasably locking the displaceable sleeve and the connector to each other to maintain the first positive spring in the compressed state. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The suspension system of claim 20 wherein the locking element is radially biased by the actuator means to engage a groove in one of the connector and the displaceable sleeve to lock the connector and the displaceable sleeve to each other with the upper and lower tubes drawn toward each other. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The suspension system of claim 21 wherein the actuator means includes a magnet radially biasing the locking element to disengage the groove in one of the connector and the displaceable sleeve to unlock the connector and the displaceable sleeve from each other allowing the upper and lower tubes to draw away from each other.